On Saturday, April 22, the Harmony Gold Show Choir (HGSC) showcased their talent in Chicago at the Fame National Show Choir Competition, earning a Fifth Runner-up trophy in performance and and another for Best Stage Crew.

Of this performance and specifically the stage crew, Mr. Vince Matia stated, “The technical aspects of the show were near flawless, and the judges agreed. Harmony Gold’s crew won the Best Crew award; they are very deserving of that award.”

Even though this event marked HGSC’s first appearance on the national stage, they made a remarkably respectable showing. Mr. Matia described the group’s impact on both the judges and audience: “When Joe Salyers started his ‘All-Star’ solo, the crowd went wild. And when we had our ‘Reboot’ sequence, the judges were laughing along with everyone else.” Some of the performers made it very clear that it is an honor to get such a positive and immediate response from the judges.

While Harmony Gold made great strides at nationals, it also received valuable constructive criticism and learned a lesson or two from the experience.

The National competition was a great stride for Walsh Jesuit’s show choir in many different aspects. Senior Madison Gordon noted, “We had a lot of fun and success but, being our first time on such a [competitive] level, I think we didn’t know what to expect at times.” Nevertheless, the experience provided a substantial benefit to the underclassmen because they now know what it takes to compete at such a demanding level. Sophomore Matthew Volpe reflected, “After being on the highest level, it makes me want to work harder and harder to ensure we can achieve even better results in following years.”

After the historical success the show choir enjoyed, they are ready to take a well deserved break.  Harmony Gold has ended its 2017 season on the highest note possible and will be ready to return with the same passion, stellar performances and success next year.